A close call
by Sadistic Fangirl
Summary: Dick has just moved into Bludhaven, and is having trouble in the rough town. Tim is there to cheer him up and Dick reflects on their relationship. Taken from Nightwing issue 6.


So, yeh. Here it is. I hope it's passable. Oh, and in case you start noticing (like my friend kathy lee skyler did) that, 'Hey. Tim's too cheery. He's not angsting.' This was some time before his Dad died and before he starts losing a bunch of other people. So he's not as 'Woe is me.'

(He's still pretty emo though -_-)

I looked up exactly how much and who he lost and... it's almost funny how bad the writers decided to mess with him. They're like 'Angst SELLS!'

I guess?

I always thought it would be cool if I was friends with Tim Drake in real life, but now I'm gonna think twice. (backs away) Sorry, Timmy. (runs)

Anyway, fic of Nightwing Issue # 6, with my own added things.

* * *

Dick sighed as he opened the door to his apartment.

He had a stressful day at his new job. The condition of this city was much worse then he expected. Crime seemed abundant and out of control. If that wasn't bad enough, the police were either unaware, or very aware of what was going on but didn't care. Then again, from what he had ran into days before, he knew that some corrupt cops most likely had some involvement in this.

As he opened the door, he felt a breeze brush by. Maybe he should do something about the police system from the inside...

Wait. Breeze? That isn't right.

Dick caught an open window on the corner of his eye and he knew he wasn't alone.

"No alarm system? Very weak." A familiar young voice pointed out casually.

Dick smiled and slowly turned his head to see a very small silhouette lurking in the darkness of his apartment.

"And I suppose you didn't even clean up after yourself again, did you? How are you supposed to-Hey!" Tim gave out a surprised yelp and Dick tackled and pinned him to the ground.

"Is this how you treat all your visitors?" Tim asked, trying to push Dick off. "Man, you're heavy." He muttered.

"Nah. Just the ones who break in." Dick replied, smirking at Tim's attempts to throw him off.

"I told you I'd be stopping by after my thing with the Titans." Tim reminded, trying to squirm out from under him.

"I didn't think it would be so soon." Dick said defensively, checking an invisible watch on his wrist.

"Get off."

"Make me."

Tim glared.

"Ok, ok." Dick surrendered, getting off of him.

Tim sat up and crossed his legs, frowning.

Dick found his Nightwing suit tossed on one of his couches. He took it and started to suit up. "Hey." He said, his voice taking on a noticeably colder tone. "So what brings you back to Bludhaven?"

Tim shrugged. "A change of scenery. Thought you'd show me around town."

Dick paused as he was taking off his shirt. "_He_ didn't send you to check up on me?"

Tim looked up, confused. "Huh?"

"Don't play dumb." Dick said irritably.

"Batman?" Tim realized. "I came down here on my own, Dick. What's with the attitude?" He asked, offended.

Dick sighed and started to pull the top part of his suit on. "Sorry, Timmy. I haven't been making a lot of progress since I got here."

A breeze flowed softly into the room, giving him a slight chill as the crisp cold air circulated around him. He gruffed, closing the window. "I'm no closer to finding out who dumped twenty-one dead hoods in the harbor. The only lead I had was a crooked cop named Dudley Soames, but... well; he's out of the radar now."

He pulled on his gloves. "They were killed by whoever is running the show here. And who knows how many _more_ are dead that haven't been found."

Tim looked down at the ground, taking in what the man had just told him. "I... didn't realize it was that tough here."

As he finished suiting up, Dick put on his mask, a grin spreading on his face as he did so. "Yeah." After giving his mask a slight final adjustment, he walked over to Tim, stopping to causally ruffle his hair. "Bag all of that for now. Let's hit the jumplines."

Tim looked up at him, excitement evident in his features. "Yeah!"

Within minutes, they were up on the roof of the apartment complex. Tim pulled out his grappling gun, readying it. Dick reached for his own in his pocket, giving a surprised look as it was nowhere to be found. "Huh? What the..?"

A pat on his shoulder caused him to turn around. Tim held out a grappling gun, handing it to Dick with a smug look on his face. "Didn't I tell you to clean up after yourself? Then things would be found so much quicker." Dick gave him a blank look, sighing as he took his grappling gun from Tim.

"What would you do without me?" Tim said sweetly as he shot out his line. "I'd probably have an equally nagging wife in your place." Dick said thoughtfully as he shot his own gun as well.

"Hey!" Tim called out as Dick flew into the air with a swift pull of his line, laughing.

After several minutes, Tim caught up with Dick and they continued to swing, running across rooftops and jumping into the air; with Tim following Dick's lead.

"So. Is this just a jaunt or do we have a destination in mind?" Tim asked him as they swing around a billboard.

"One of my leads in Bludhaven." Dick replied. "A mobbed up lawyer named Maxwell Reed. Owes me a favor. I saved his daughter from some mugs when some mobsters had issues with their deal. Think I should he should owe up. "

* * *

"I don't owe you a thing!" Maxwell yelled as he threw a pillow at the wall.

He regarded the two dark figures that were staring at him with an angry look, annoyed at haven been awakened during his sleep.

"I saved your daughter's life, Max." Nightwing reminded him. "You said, 'If there's _anything_ I can do...' "

"No way that stands up! I made that promise under duress! I'm not accountable!" Max spat, pulling the covers slightly tighter around himself.

Robin remained silent, appearing to be in deep thought.

"Spoken like a true lawyer, I'm surprised you don't hiss when you talk." Nightwing said sarcastically.

"You don't have a legal leg to stand on, freak!" Max sneered, grinning at him with an arrogant smile

"Do you really think that matters to us?" Nightwing asked, glaring at him with a fixed look of hostility. "If I brought my fist to your face, would you care to repeat that?"

"Just try it! You're the one that's going to end up in the jail slam if you do!" Max yelled, undaunted by his violent display.

"Let's hope that jail slam catches up to me by the time I'm done with you-"

"Interesting..." Robin cut in. Nightwing turned to look at him.

"What is?" Max asked indifferently, annoyed.

"I see you've moved back into your house." He observed calmly. "How is that, I wonder? No need be be on the run anymore? Everything straightened out with your _clients_?"

Max showed a quick look of surprise, before turning his expression into an angry scowl. "I oughta call the police on your-"

"Really? That would be rather difficult as..." The edges of Robin's lips turned upwards into a grin. The kind of grin that looked as if he had just called in checkmate in chess. "The cops know we're here. Dudley Soames sent us."

Nightwing tried to suppress the confused expression on his face, as he waited for Max's response.

Bulls-eye.

Max's face shrilled up in shock as fright was evident in his features. "Soames?"

He stumbled off of his bed, pointing an accusing finger at them. "Is- is this a compensatory arrest? Is this a conspiracy?!"

Robin regarded him with a composed glance, staring at him emotionlessly. "Don't try to impress me, Max." He said coldly. "I think you mean, 'Is this a show bust to keep the public stupid and make the blues look like they're on the job?"

Max said nothing, overcome with shock as he let himself slump to his knees. Nightwing grinned at Robin, then turned back to the man.

"Yeah. You heard. So what have you got?"

"I've... got rights..." Max stammered out. Nightwing tsked and cracked his knuckles.

"O-Okay! Lemme think!" After a moment of thought, he said, "There's a drop over at Halyard Square. You know how bookmakers work? Sometimes they get heavy bets a favorite. Numbers. Football. Horses. If that ship comes in, they can take a beating. Angel Marin has a guy named Sonny Brewer. This guy's job is laying off bets at the track. We're talking heavy cash. Major bets. He lays money on the favorite to offset the losses. Sonny'd be a sweet bust."

"Is that so?" Nightwing asked, taking in everything he said. "Yes. Now, let me go back to sleep." Max plead with a sigh.

* * *

"Why is it always warehouses?" Tim asked, as he looked out through the binoculars he was holding. He squinted as it was dark and he could hardly see. He quickly switched them to night-vision mode.

"Actually it's an abandoned bank." Dick replied, as he shivered a bit. It was bitterly cold as it was snowing, and being perched on top of a skyscraper didn't exactly help. "Aren't you cold?" He asked, taking out a small blanket he brought just in case.

"No." Tim answered, still watching intently.

"Are you serious? If you don't think it's cold right now, then you're not human, kid." Dick said, sitting on top of the blanket then taking out a soup container.

"Fine. I am cold. Does that satisfy you?" Tim said, shivering a bit.

"Why did you tell me you weren't?" Dick asked, pouring soup into a cup.

"Well, there's nothing I could do about it, so what's the point in whining?" Tim said, pulling the cape around him a bit closer.

"We could..."

"No." Tim cut in.

"No what? You didn't let me finish." Dick said annoyed.

"No snuggling." Tim said as piercingly as the cold air around them.

"Grow up, Tim. In this situation it wouldn't be _snuggling_ it would be _exchanging body heat to keep our bodies warmer_."

"Well no." Tim said after a cough.

Dick took out his blanket. "We can shaaaare." He sang. "No, it's ok." Tim said, inching the smallest bit away from him.

"Fine." He said, taking a sip of hot steamy soup. After a content sigh, he looked up and found Tim staring. "What?"

"Nothing." Tim brisked, quickly looking back at the binoculars.

Dick looked down at his cup of soup. "You want some?"

"Um... maybe just a little..." Tim said rather shyly. "Is it ok with you?"

"Tim. I just asked if you wanted some, why would it not be ok with me?" Dick asked while pouring soup into an extra cup.

"Well it's _your_ soup that _you_ brought, I don't want to bother you by taking some." Tim explained, waving away a pigeon that decided to land next to him.

"Tim, you could take the whole thing if you want to. It won't bother me." Dick said, screwing the cap back on the container. He carefully handed Tim the cup of soup. Dick watched as Tim raised the cup to his lips and took a careful sip, a brief look of satisfaction crossing his features.

"You know, to some people you come across as rude because of your habit of ignoring, but I actually think you're a little too nice." Dick commented.

"And you're a kickface. How's that for nice?" Tim muttered. "A kickface? Kickface?" Dick repeated, disbelievingly.

"Yep." Tim said, sticking out his tongue.

"Very mature, Mr. Tim Drake." Dick said sarcastically.

They both went silent and focused on watching the building across from them.

"Think this lawyer will play?" Dick asked after a moment, "He could be jerking us around."

"Not likely." Tim answered after taking another sip. "He thinks we're a part of the game." He looked up. "Who's this Soames I threatened him with?"

Dick snickered. "You didn't even know who he was?"

Tim shrugged. "You said back at the apartment he was a crooked cop, and Max is a mob associated lawyer, so I figured the two would connect and I went with my insticts."

Dick smiled. "Yeah. Well, Soames. He's no Jim Gordon. I don't have anything solid but I figured he was more mob then cop."

"Is that just a hunch?" Tim asked, raising an eyebrow.

"A _hunch_? Um, yeah. It came to me when he took me out to the landfills to _kill_ me."

"Oh."

Tim placed the cup on the floor, staring down at it, as if in deep thought. "So... you're really on your own here. I wouldn't be able to handle that."

"Sure you would." Dick said with no doubt.

"No. I couldn't. We're not the same kind of Robin." Tim pointed out.

Dick turned to face him at that. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Tim tapped on the floor in thought. "You're a natural athlete. I have to work at that. I mean, it's like you're at _home_ ten stories over the street."

"You're more cerebral. You're better at the computer stuff." Dick reminded him.

"He's got Oracle for that and I'd trade my computer literacy for your street smarts in a hot minute. And I'm not half the detective you are." Tim admitted.

Dick scoffed and turned away. "Funny. In a lot of ways I think you're the better partner for him. I was always a little impulsive, impatient; you compliment him more."

Tim got up to brush snow off of his cape. "Yeah. But that was later. After you've been out on your own a bit. You're forgetting the early days, where you two were like 'a well oiled machine'."

He sat back down. "Besides, all I ever wanted to be was his partner."

"Hey. I volunteered for the 'Robin thing' too." Dick pointed out.

"No." Tim said, in a definite tone. "He invited you. I invited myself."

Dick crossed his arms. "Are you saying I didn't want to be Robin as bad as you did?"

Tim looked down with a sincere expression on his face. "No. You wanted to be a hero. I'm happy being _Robin_."

The cold air swirled around them, burning their lungs slightly as they breathed it in. The wind brushed Tim's hair over his face and he pushed it aside wordlessly.

"You left the cave and became Nightwing." Tim stated as he faced Dick.

"So?" Dick asked, not knowing where he was going with this.

"So, that's not me."

Dick then looked at Tim. Really looked at Tim, as he was beside himself. "What do you mean?"

Tim shrugged, speaking calmly. "I don't plan on taking over for him someday. I won't be out here the rooftops ten years from now. I'll do my shift as Robin, then go back to my 'normal' life."

Dick grinned. "I think that's why there's so much friction with you these days."

Putting up his binoculars, Tim turned towards the building they were supposed to be watching. "Why?"

"You and Batman. You're different. But you're also way more alike than you'll ever admit. Either of you." Dick mused.

Maybe it was just his imagination, but Tim looked like he suddenly grew tense at that comment. Looked like he was shocked. Though when he spoke, his voice exhibited no such feelings, instead seeming emotionless. "That's silly. Why make such a ridiculous comment?"

Dick wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Hey. You're the cerebral one. Don't tell me you don't have this figured out already?"

Again, it seemed that Tim somehow was affected by the comment negatively as he stiffened.

Seeing this, Dick decided to drop it. "So. Anything happening?"

Tim switched the binoculars to it's normal vision. "Not a thing. I don't think we'll see any action tonight."

* * *

"Explain this again Maxwell... _Slowly_..." The grim looking man commanded sternly.

"But... but he said _you_ sent him, Soames. He said you said it was Kosher." Max stammered out nervously, trying to convince him that he had done nothing particularly wrong.

""And that sounded _right_ to you?" Soames said scornfully. "Coming from that kid?"

"Hey, I'm here telling you aren't I? That smart-ass little prick told me it was you that sent them." Max groaned, frustrated at the situation.

The man stared at Max coldly, his expression lacking emotion. "The damage is done, counselor." He said in a hard stone tone.

'Whoa. W-wait! What's the big deal?" Max blurt out, trying to reason. "So the masked marvel nails Sonny Brewler. Marvin loses some cash but Sonny walks easy. I'll make sure of that. No harm. No foul."

Soames gave as sigh. "I was keeping that blue freak at an arm's length. Now that costumed boy scout ruined everything. I'll be sure to send that little punk our regards." He kicked some snow off of his shoe. "And it's a lot of money we're losing here. Layoff's heavy tonight."

"It's only cash. There's plenty out there!" Max pleaded.

"I could say the same thing for lawyers, Maxwell." Soames said, pulling a handgun out of his coat pocket.

He raised the handgun to Maxwell, slowly pulling the trigger.

"Huh? But Dudley. I thought we were friends." Max told him frighteningly.

It only took one shot to bring him down. Soames smirked as Maxwell's body hit the snowy ground with a thud.

"We _were_ friends."

* * *

Dick held the rope he was holding more tightly, his skin hissing as the hardened grip burned.

He tried to fall more quickly, to keep his fall controlled and more quicker.

The little boy screamed as he plunged faster, spiraling towards the ground below them. Fast. Too fast. No good.

Dick felt like everything was going in slow motion. The boy kept bawling, screaming for his help. He reached out with his small arms, hoping to saved.

He didn't want to lose him. He couldn't let this happen, he was better then that. He promised him he would be there at the worst, to help him. To save him. To protect him from whatever darkest hour.

_My fall is controlled._

He raised out his arms, trying to level out the position he was in to go faster, but the boy still seemed out of reach. Tim was...

_My fall is controlled. His is a plunge. Gravity pulls him further from me. Keeping him out of reach._

The ground was rushing forward eagerly to meet them.

_He shouts to me. He always shouts to me. But.. I never hear what he says._

"Nightwing."

A familiar voice. A gloved hand grasped his shoulder firmly, clutching tightly.

_Tim?_

"Nightwing?"

He can't save Tim if Tim's trying to save him. The boy is still falling. The older voice holding his shoulder was urgent.

"Nightwing!"

Dick opened his eyes, wincing as snow was thrown at his face. "Whuh?"

"Wake up!" Tim said urgently, keeping his voice low.

As Dick stared at him, still slightly dazed from being thrust into reality, Tim gestured to something across from the roof the were on. "The bagman's here."

Dick nodded, stretching absentmindedly as he rolled his shoulders.

"Did you get some sleep?" Tim asked, watching the target go inside the building.

"I suppose." Dick said popping his neck. "I mean; You don't usually have nightmares when you're awake, do you?"

"In _this_ town?" Tim asked sarcastically.

Dick knelt down next to Tim, lazingly wrapping an arm around him and throwing his weight on him. "Too many long nights. Thanks for watching."

"S'okay. It only takes one." Tim assured him, ignoring the fact he was being used as a human pillow. "So we hit him when he comes out, right?"

* * *

They waited patiently for the man to come out. But after several minutes, they were starting to grow tense.

Dick looked around, trying to observe something that would be useful. He only saw the man's car, parked right next to the building they were on, still right where he left it.

But that's strange. Wouldn't it be easier to park in the back so that he could take the exit door and be out in seconds?

"He's been in there for over twenty minutes." Tim informed him, going into detective mode.

"Something's wrong here." Dick stated uneasily. "We're going to lose him."

Tim looked up at Dick, watching him. "What are you looking at?" He asked, following his line of sight. He perked up as he spotted the car and went silent, watching it intently.

"This is bad." Dick started. "I think they might-"

"I'll go down have a look around." Tim said, taking out his line. He flew down within seconds before Dick even had time to think.

"Robin! No!"

Tim landed swiftly, taking out a tracking device. He started to make his way towards the car.

"NO! Robin, don't!" Dick yelled out urgently, throwing out a line and jumping down as quickly as he could.

"Yeesh. Relax. I'm just going to put a transmitter on his car." Tim assured him, reaching the destination. He reached over to plant it. "So if Sonny takes off in a hurry-"

"You don't get it!" Dick shouted, running towards him. He managed to grab him right right when Tim touched the car. "They already know-"

The car exploded, and Dick pulled him back as quickly as he could. The impact still hit them though, and they were sent hurling at the ground.

Tim was in front of him and so landed on Dick safely when they hit the ground. But then again, Tim was in front of them when it exploded, which meant he received most of the impact.

"Tim!"

He laid him down and rolled him over to his back. "Tim!"

Tim remained unresponsive. Dick gritted his teeth and swiftly checked him for injuries.

There was a nasty gash on his forward, where most likely a flying metal car debris hit him. A few other cuts most likely from glass, and a few bruises.

"Hey..." A wavering voice told him. Dick looked down to see Tim looking up at him worriedly. "Are you ok?"

"Am- am I ok? I should be asking _you_ that, idiot!" Dick said, annoyed.

Tim continued to stare at him with a worried look. Dick sighed and quickly checked himself for injuries. "Other then a nasty bruise on my hip from the fall, and another bruise on my chest from you ramming on to me, I'm perfectly fine." He informed the younger one. His eyes alighted on the boy who sat perfectly still with eyes wide open, yet not focused on anything.

"That's good." He said, sitting up. Tim winced as he clutched his temples with his hands. "My.. head.. hurts. Stupid car."

He started to get up.

"Hey, whoa. Maybe you should lay low. I'll go handle those guys." Dick said softly.

"Nuh uh. You'll get hurt." Tim said firmly, swaying a bit as he started to walk forward. "You're going to do something impulsive, then I'll have to haul your ass out like I always do..."

Tim suddenly felt very cold and hugged his arms to himself as the ground strangely seemed to began to take on a life of it's own. He had to step to the side a couple times to keep his balance. "And then you'll be arguing that you would have done perfectly fine anyway, to which I say a sarcastic comment and you say-" Tim slumped suddenly and dropped down to the ground.

"Tim?!" Dick knelt down, positioning his body comfortably. "Look, don't worry. I'll take care of this then get you some help. Just rest."

Tim mouthed something softly.

"What?"

His eyelids then fluttered before closing, and he sank down, unconsciousness. Dick made sure he was out before removing Tim's cape and covering his body with it to keep him warm. He'll have to leave him there for a moment.

Maybe he should move him to-

"THEY'RE HERE!" A voice boomed. Dick turned to see a mobster holding a machine rifle. "The masked man and the caped kid are here!"

"Kill him and try to keep the kid alive if possible! The boss wants to kill him himself!" A voice ordered from inside the building exit.

No time to think.

Dick quickly charged at the man who started to spray at him, attempting to shoot him. Dick thrust his elbow up as hard as he could at the man's chin, before the man slumped down with a groan.

More footsteps were approaching, coming from the building.

Dick decided to beat them to the punch, running towards the exit of the building. _This is all my fault for trusting a lawyer._

About seven gunmen were inside waiting. They aimed.

_Add it to the list of foul-ups I've had since I hit this town._

He ran forward rather then being intimated by their weapons. No, he didn't have room to be intimated. He was pissed.

_But this time it's not just my life._

He threw a batarang swiftly, sending it piercing through a man's hand, as he dropped the gun, his voice crying out in pain.

_As long as he's in Bludhaven, Robin is my responsibility. He's family. He's the closest thing to a brother I'll ever have._

Another man, running out of ammo, charged forward with a yell, running at him. Dick kicked up landing a blow at the bastard's mouth, hearing a crunch as teeth were broken. The man hit the ground, holding his jaw as blood leaked from the corners of his mouth and whimpered. Raising his foot up, Dick swiftly brought it down at the man's face with a hard stomp, rendering him unconscious. He's gonna have one hell of a jaw ache when he wakes up.

So excuse me if I get just a little too severe.

Another foolish man tried to hit him with the end of his rifle. Dick growled and snatched his arm, bringing it behind him as he pulled hard. He let go when he heard a loud pop followed by an agonizing cry. Dick picked up the rifle and smacked him across the face with it, making the man pass out on the ground, before Dick supposed it wouldn't hurt to hit the creep a few more times, just to be _sure_.

As he heard footsteps behind him, Dick pulled out his batarang faster then he could think and threw it at the man's direction. The man gave a loud shriek as the batarang embedded itself into his eye. "Opps. Hand slipped." Dick said in a not so apologetic voice as the man withered on the ground holding his face.

The rest of the men took a look at him before running and hauling ass. Dick swore under his breath. If it wasn't for Tim being close-by, he would chase after them making sure they each got what they deserved.

The man holding his bleeding eye spotted his handgun laying on the ground near him. "Why you little.." He reached out to grab it. "Son of a-"

A foot stepped on his hand before he could pick it up. He looked up. Dick grinned as he grinded his leg down. "Is it worth a broken wrist?" He asked coldly.

He pushed down some more, ignoring the man's plea's until he heard a SNAP. "Well, I hope it was. Cause you just won the game!" He kicked forward striking the man's head to make him unconscious.

After tying them up, Dick started to gather the bags of money.

Sonny woke up, glancing at him before turning his expression into one of rage. "Yo! You don't know who you're messing with! Where Y'going with that cash, man?!"

Dick stooped next to the fireplace. "I think I know exactly who I'm 'messing with', Sonny. And as for the cash? I've got five words for you..."

He threw the bags into the fire. "Bad night at the ponies."

* * *

"Nnngh.."

Tim turned as he woke up, his body seeming heavy. He kicked off the weight that was on top of him, but then regretted it as a chill hit him. He pulled the covers back on. His mind was telling him to get up, but it was so warm...

He turned over and moved himself forward a bit before suddenly moving up onto something firm.

Wha?

Tim pushed forward roughly and it moved quite easily. A sudden yelp woke him up for sure, and he bolted up, wondering what that was.

He found himself on a bed and after looking around, realized that he was in Dick's apartment. "Hey!"

Tim looked down at the side of the bed, to see Dick sprawled on the floor. "Man I didn't know you were a bed-hogger. If you wanted me to sleep on the couch, you could just ask!"

Tim let himself give a witty response. "Actions speak louder than words."

Dick sighed and sat down on the corner of the bed. "So. Are you ok?" He asked in a concerned tone.

Tim nodded, rubbing his forehead. "Other then my ears ringing like the morning after a Marilyn Manson concert, I'm quite alright." He replied.

Giving a relived sigh, Dick got up and handed Tim his regular clothes. "You can rest here, or go back to your place if you want. Your choice."

"I think I'll go back to my place. I've gotta be in my room by the morning so I can pretend I wasn't gone the whole night, or my dad will get worried." Tim said, changing into his clothes.

"Could.. you get there on your own, or do you want me to go with you?" Dick asked him.

"Nah, I'm ok. Really. I can go there with no problem." Tim said, pulling on his shirt.

Dick glared at him. "Yeah, well ok or not I should go with you. It's not ok to let a 14 year old walk around by himself in this time of night, especially not in _this_ town."

Tim jumped off of the bed, landing in a handstand to emphasize how 'well' he was. "I'm ok. And I don't wanna bother you."

"It's no bother." Dick said, picking up his car keys. "Don't worry. If you're worried about me showing up in your driveway at your house, I'll stop a few miles away so you can walk there."

Tim gave a shrug and walked towards him. "I suppose that will do." He said, walking towards the exit.

"Hey." Tim turned as Dick spoke to him. "Are you gonna tell Batman I'm not cutting it here?"

"I'm not here to spy." Tim huffed, slightly offended.

"He'll ask you." Dick insisted.

"Then I'll tell him you're making a difference. You MUST be if they're going through all this trouble to try to kill you, right?" Tim asked, grinning at him.

Dick stared back, shocked by his sincere words. _He really has no idea how much he encourages me._ Dick grinned back. "Yeah, that's true."

He ruffled Tim's hair. "If you find me dead in the harbor with my head on backwards, you'll know I got REAL close." He turned his expression more morbid. "Though, close just isn't good enough."

Tim gave him a push, before smirking up at him. "It is for tonight."

Dick looked down, eyes softening. "And you think that's all we can ask for?"

"It's enough for _me_." Tim replied, patting Dick's injured back softly. "So don't worry about it."

And just like that, Dick decided to indeed not worry about it. "Yeah, you're right."

"Though, there is something that you should worry about." Tim said, his expression turning grave.

Dick looked down at him startled. "What? What should I worry about?"

Tim leaned near his ear. "Get a wife so she can pick up your mess in your excuse of an apartment." Tim ran out before Dick reacted. "What?!"

Dick ran after him. "Get back here, Tim! Prepare yourself for my noogie of death!"

Their laughter echoed around the walls before fading.

* * *

Got a bit of help from one of my fav issues of Nightwing.

Nightwing Issue #6. Brief Comic review:

In this one Dick is settling in Bludhaven and got a job in a coffee shop. As he's working, he sees some very rowdy and brute cops and wonders what he could do to help out this place.

He goes back to his apartment and upon entering, realizes that he wasn't alone and that someone has come through the window.

This is where I made fun of him because he tackles and pins Tim to the ground and claims he thought the Tim was a thief, but...

Tim says right before so said tackle, "No alarm system? Very weak." And it was coming from a very _small _silhouette.

You would think he would recognize Tim's voice or figure. But I guess LOTS of people who sound like Tim and are midgets like to break into people's apartments.

That or Dick just wanted to get his hands on his lil bro after not seeing him for a while, which sounds more like him. Hee hee.

Tim says he went to check up on him and clean after his usual slobby mess. Dick says he has a job to do and asks Tim to join, which Tim agrees to.

Then Tim and Dick camp out on a rooftop waiting for their target. It's snowing and cold, and sweet brotherly ol' Dick offers Tim a warm cup of soup, which Tim takes.

Then Tim of course took his _angst pills_ that morning and somehow managed to turn a normal conversation they were having into how worthless and undeserving he is to be Robin. (niiiice Tim) But of course Dick reassures him saying that Tim's better at cerebral stuff. That he's always been more impulsive whereas Tim is calm and cool, and that he complements Batman more. Though Tim still felt out of place saying he invited himself and furthermore, didn't see himself doing this ten years from now. But Dick assures him not to worry. (That a boy Dick)

While waiting, Dick doses off and has a nightmare about his younger self being Robin. He's trying to catch a small child who's falling and he can't seem to reach him. (fans have yet to decide if the boy he was trying to save was a version of himself and so trying to save himself, if it might have been Tim that he's trying to help since he's been harboring feelings for him lately, or just some regular kid)

He wakes up while Tim tells him that he woke just in time, 'the bagman's here.'

After he doesn't exit the building they're watching upon entering, they start to feel that something is wrong.

Tim says he'll go have a look around and jumps down. Dick immediately senses danger and yells for Tim to come back, but Tim ignores him saying he's just going to put a tracker on his car. Dick lurches down, grabs Tim, and is able to pull him away from the car right when it exploded. But Tim was rendered unconscious for a bit.

(This is where my fav part comes in) Right at that moment like 7 gunmen just start firing, and Dick, enraged that Tim got hurt, goes all berserk and brutal on them; then apologizes for 'getting just a _little_ severe'. (A little? He threw a batterang piercing through somebody's hand, and threw one into someone's EYE. Then when one tried to reach for a gun, he stepped on his wrist and coldly asked, "Is it worth a broken wrist?" before snap! Ha, i love Dark Richard.)

Oh then he grabs the money the bad guys have stolen and Dick says the worst pun yet.

"Got 5 words for you. (throws money into fire) Bad night at the ponies." [starts laughing uncontrollably]

Then Tim and Dick share some parting words before Tim leaves, and the end. :) EEEEEeee! Dick's the best big brother EVEA! x3


End file.
